KIRKUS REVIEW
This comprehensive guide to canine cancer delivers standard veterinary information and advice in language that average dog owners will understand.
Kaplan (So Easy to Love, So
Hard to Lose, 2010, etc.) has a background in editing veterinary school
texts and writing about animals, but her experience caring for her late
Siberian husky, Bullet, directly inspired this book. “About half of our dogs
will have cancer in their lifetimes,” she learned, “yet most dog owners know little
or nothing about caring for a dog with cancer.” Moreover, although some 10,000
dogs are diagnosed with cancer daily, she says, only 250 American veterinarians
specialize in oncology. This book thus serves as a layman’s compendium about
veterinary oncology, including information on diagnostic tests, treatment
methods, side effects, and end-of-life care. As in humans, genetics and diet
play a major role in canine cancer, but environmental carcinogens may be more
influential, Kaplan says, as dogs are in closer contact with fertilizers and
household cleaning products. Treatment options for dogs are also similar to
those for people: surgery, followed by radiation or chemotherapy. Luckily, the
author says, “Dogs tolerate chemotherapy better than people do,” with minimal
hair loss and quick recovery. The book includes lists of symptoms and
discussions of types of cancer along with italicized, often illustrated case
studies from pet owners, which lend this informative text a personal touch.
Kaplan also contributes heartfelt reminiscences of Bullet’s medical history; as
a four-year lymphoma survivor, he was a successful outlier. She recommends
comparing clinics’ fees and getting second opinions; to that end, she provides
helpful sets of questions to ask one’s veterinarian. Getting chemo drugs directly
from suppliers, she says, can cut costs, while complementary medicines and
human-grade food can contribute to continued health. The book turns sappy when
Kaplan discusses “pawspice” care and the “Rainbow Bridge” where departed dogs
go—a whimsical shift after the preceding down-to-earth advice. Still, she
reassuringly acknowledges that “the loss of a pet is like any loss. Grief is
grief.” (Kaplan also mentions the Magic Bullet Fund she launched in 2004, which
assists dog owners who can’t afford cancer treatment.)
An invaluable resource for providing top-notch
care for man’s best friend.
